Bail set at $1M for man charged in Ohio teen’s 1987 murder

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CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio (AP) — Bail has been set at $1 million for a man charged in the murder of a teenager whose body was found near an outdoor music venue in Ohio more than three decades ago.

James E. Zastawnik, 67, of Cleveland, was arraigned Thursday in Stow municipal court and did not enter a plea to his felony murder charge. It’s not known if he’s retained an attorney.

The hearing came a day after he was charged in the December 1987 death of 17-year-old Barbara Blatnik.

Police were called to an area near Blossom Music Center five days before Christmas after Blatnik’s nude body was found. She had last been seen when a friend dropped her off at about midnight in Garfield Heights the night before. Authorities said the teenager had been raped and strangled.

Police said the charges were “based on new evidence that was provided through advancements in DNA technology.”

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